The present invention is directed generally to a method for displaying multiple performance measurements of a web server, and more particularly to a method for displaying multiple performance measurements of a web server using a platform independent program.
A performance monitor generally has two functions. First, the performance monitor should allow an administrator to monitor the performance of a web site over time. This includes the ability to track several different types of measurements such as hit rate and response time as well as the ability to easily navigate along a time-line. Second, the performance monitor should assist the administrator in understanding the relationships between the various measurements over time.
Performance monitors typically use time-line graphs to display the changing performance measurements of a web site. Performance monitors usually also include the ability to display multiple graphs, often of differing color, on the same time-line for convenience of comparing different measurements simultaneously. However, current implementations of this multi-graph capability do not provide good mechanism for dealing with graphs containing varying scales nor do performance monitors provide an adequate mechanism for focusing in on a particular graph or measurement. The multiple graphs feature, although potentially powerful, comes across as confusing and cumbersome with the likely result that the administrator will simply abandon its use.
The present invention provides a unique, compact method of displaying multiple performance graphs with varying scales and provides a mechanism for focusing in on a particular measurement or graph. This gives the administrator the ability to easily analyze the relationships between different performance measurements and understand how the performance measurements effect overall performance.
With the growing popularity of the Internet comes the ever increasing need for optimally performing web sites. Performance monitors have become an important tool in achieving that goal. Their ability to display various performance measurements allows the administrator to gain an understanding of how a web site is performing and make adjustments accordingly. However, simply displaying a multitude of raw performance measurements is of little use if there is not a clear way of viewing and understanding their relationship.
The focus of the present invention is to provide a performance measurement display methodology that allows the administrator to easily analyze multiple pieces of performance data and relationships over time. This has been achieved in a compact implementation that provides for the simultaneous display of several performance measurements with the ability to easily focus in on any one measurement.
The present invention greatly enhances the administrator""s ability to analyze and understand a web site""s performance by providing a display method that makes it easy to visualize the interrelationships between various performance measurements.
The present invention provides a compact mechanism for displaying multiple web performance graphs that allows the administrator to easily focus in on one or more performance measurements. The three key components of the present invention are 1) colored vertical scale buttons, 2) variable thickness colored graphs, and 3) colored legend buttons that can show or hide a particular graph.
The invention""s goal of providing a compact display mechanism has to do with maximizing the performance monitors screen real estate. Unlike other methods that involve using a fixed vertical scale of 0 to 100 in combination with scale multipliers, the present invention uses selectable vertical scales that do not require the administrator to do scale conversions.
The colored vertical scale buttons are used to select a particular graph for emphasis. Selecting one of the colored buttons causes the vertical scale to change to match the scale of the graph associated with the colored button. It also causes the selected graph to be emphasized.
The variable thickness colored graphs provide the ability to easily focus on a particular graph in a multi-graph display. When an administrator selects a colored vertical scale button, its associated graph is drawn thicker than the others (using three pixel polylines versus one pixel polylines).
The colored legend buttons provide the ability to quickly show or hide a particular performance measurement graph. Selecting a legend button hides the associated graph of the button""s label is black, and shows the graph if the label is gray. This capability further aids the administrator in analyzing performance data by allowing the administrator to view only the performance measurements that interest him.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by a method for displaying multiple performance measurements of a web site. Collected performance measurement data are retrieved for at least one performance measurement variable. A graphical representation is displayed for the retrieved performance data for the at least one performance measurement variable. One of the at least one performance measurement variables is selected. The displayed graphical representation of retrieved performance measurement data is scaled for the selected one of the at least one performance measurement variable.
The foregoing objects of the present invention are achieved by a system for displaying multiple performance measurements of a plurality of web servers. A set of performance measurement data files is provided with each of the performance measurement data files including data representative of one of the plurality of web servers. A user interface is provided that is configured to display at least a portion of a selected one of the sets of performance measurement data files by scaling the selected performance measurement data.
The foregoing objects of the present invention are achieved by an article including at least one sequence of machine executable instructions and a medium bearing the executable instructions in machine readable form, wherein execution of the instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to retrieve collected performance measurement data for at least one performance measurement variable. A graphical representation for the retrieved performance data is displayed for the at least one performance measurement variable. One of the at least one performance measurement variables is selected. The displayed graphical representation of retrieved performance measurement data is scaled for the selected one of the at least one performance measurement variable.
The foregoing objects of the present invention are achieved by a computer architecture including retrieving means for retrieving collected performance measurement data for at least one performance measurement variable. Displaying means are provided for displaying a graphical representation for the retrieved performance data for the at least one performance measurement variable. Selecting means are provided for selecting one of the at least one performance measurement variables. Scaling means are provided for scaling the displayed graphical representation of retrieved performance measurement data for the selected one of the at least one performance measurement variable.
The foregoing objects of the present invention are achieved by a computer system including a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having stored therein sequences of instructions, which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the steps of retrieving collected performance measurement data for at least one performance measurement variable. A graphical representation for the retrieved performance data is displayed for the at least one performance measurement variable. One of the at least one performance measurement variables is selected. The displayed graphical representation of retrieved performance measurement data is scaled for the selected one of the at least one performance measurement variable.
Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein the preferred embodiments of the invention are shown and described, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated of carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description thereof are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.